Prompt: Elsa is a princess and is kinda hating her life because of how strict her father is and how she is "destined to be for the throne" Kinda like Aladdin right? Well, one night/day she is either assigned a task to go out to the docks, or she sneaks out to the docks where she eventually meets Anna who is just a fisher "boy" by the name of Al. She then sneaks out nightly, the visits become more often and she falls in love hurdee dur dur.

Now you gotta keep in mind, Her father is way OFC and is very strict and on top of all that, a massive homophobe. So Elsa is taught that she can't love a women and actually believes it. One night, when they decide to go for a swim, Anna takes off her shirt casually thinking her gender is quite obvious in which Elsa freaks out because oh my gosh that's a fucking girl. Now she tries to cut all ties with Al, "Anna" (which she later tells Elsa at some point her friends just call her Al) but Anna is a stubborn girl when it comes to Elsa, like in the movie, and goes out of her way to get Elsa back.

Rule: One sentence per person

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PART 1 — Elsa

Chapter 1

It always seemed a bit boring—actually, very boring—when someone was giving some kind of lesson about how to become this or that, pushing opinions one way or another. This lesson was no different, and Princess Elsa merely fought against the itch on her nose as her tutor helped her through proper posture and etiquette; her father watching from the side of the room. Truth be told, she was about to fall asleep at the sound of the most boring voice in all of Creation, but as a princess, falling asleep during a lecture was absolutely forbidden.

"Chin up," King Agdar called, and Elsa did just that, her cheeks flushing a little at having been caught not paying attention.

"S-Sorry, father." Elsa straightened up her posture, and as much as she wanted to ignore her father's hard stare, she couldn't shake the feeling of his gaze burning into her back.

Her lessons passed by painfully slow, and by the end of it all, she was certain her feet had blisters from standing up all day, balancing books on her head as well as learning how to formally dance.

And once that painful torture of a lecture was over, she was rewarded with a break; escaping into town to free herself of the monotony. Or rather, her father had sent her to go check in on a special shipment from Corona at the docks...but that didn't mean she couldn't take her time and have a bit of freedom along the way.

Today was a nice day out, and Elsa couldn't help but have a bit of fun when the children greeted her and followed her to the docks. She didn't leave the castle often, but whenever she did, they would come running up to say hello, ask about living in the castle, or tell her how pretty her hair was. Elsa always giggled shyly at the compliments the children gave her, and wouldn't miss even a single question they would ask of her.

"Do you like the castle?" little Nils Norberg asked her, his eyes wide with curiosity. "Because I like the castle… It's really big."

"Oh, really?" Elsa giggled as the little boy reached for her hand, which she held with a slight squeeze. "One day, I'll take you all there, and we'll have all the fun we could ever have in its halls."

The children all giggled at that, enthusiastically continuing with their questions all the way until Elsa saw the docks a short distance away.

"Now you all will have to wait for me here, understand?" Elsa smiled at the children pouting up at her. "I'll be back; don't worry. I simply have something to do for my father."

They gave a collective "Awwww…" at that; their previous smiles turning into disappointed frowns.

Elsa couldn't bear to see them like that, and decided that it would be a good idea to give them a treat after her errand. She said as much, and their frowns reverted back to smiles as they cheered, drawing her into a group hug before leaving her to her duties.

She sighed to herself, knowing that she wouldn't have much time to spend with the kids after this, as she would have to report back to her father immediately. But even so, she would still try her best to show her appreciation for their company in the time that she had until then.

Returning her gaze to the docks, she noticed a small boat among the other ships, and a person sitting in its middle, nodding their head as if they were humming a tune. Curiosity gripping her, Elsa decided to walk closer, noticing that it was a fishing boat. A full basket of wriggling scales sat by its bow. The fisherman sitting there happened to notice her approaching, lifting their head to reveal a sun-kissed face with a smattering of freckles, teal eyes regarding her curiously from beneath a broad-rimmed hat.

"What's the matter?" the stranger laughed. "Haven't you ever seen a fish before?"

"I-I have, they're just...cooked already, is all, " Elsa said, her cheeks flushing a light pink at having been caught staring. This certainly wasn't on her itinerary for the day.

"I imagine they would be," the stranger said with another laugh, reeling in their line. "I don't think princesses are the type to eat fish raw, after all."

Glancing down at her ornate and expensive dress, Elsa blustered, "I don't think many of the fisherman eat it raw, either!"

"You'd be surprised what stories you hear around here," the fisherman said with a smirk, mischief twinkling in those teal eyes. As far as Elsa could tell, he was a boy just a few years younger than herself, or perhaps in possession of a boyish charm that made him look as if he were. A messy fringe of red hair peeked out from under his hat, supporting the idea. Against her will, she found herself considering it fetching.

"My friends call me Al," the fisherman said, throwing a crooked smile her way. "I'd offer my hand for you to shake, but I don't think the king would appreciate you smelling like fish."

"You don't…" Tittering, she shook her head from side to side in bemusement at his casual demeanor. If her father were here, Al certainly would've faced some sort of consequence for his lack of decorum. As it was, she was grateful to have someone speak to her without either cowering from fear of her station, or talking over her as if she were insignificant.

"Soooo…"Al drawled out, returning his gaze to his work, "what brings you to the docks this fine day? I doubt you came all this way just to talk to me."

A casual shrug of an elegant shoulder. "Perhaps I did; would you think me the most frivolous princess you've ever met?"

"No...but you certainly are the most gorgeous princess I've ever met."

"Well, that's…" Elsa had begun speaking before she quite knew what she was going to say, which only made her look more foolish when she realised she hadn't the slightest idea. Instead, she settled for merely trailing off, heat blossoming on her cheeks.

Al grinned wider. "What's the matter, cat got your tongue?"

"N-No," she denied, clenching her hands into fists as the heat grew, "but...thank you." Clearing her throat and glancing along toward the rest of the docks, she said, "But perhaps I should be going. It was nice talking to you, Fisherman Al."

"Likewise, Princess Elsa," Al said with a theatrical flourish of his hand, bowing exaggeratedly towards her and nearly knocking over his bucket of fish. Elsa found herself giggling—then, covering her mouth with her hand to prevent more giggles, she walked off toward the ship from Corona.

"Princess Elsa, hello!" the ship's captain called to her as she approached. "We're just unloading your shipment now, if you can bear with us a moment!" He was a kindly, bearded fellow; barrel-chested and towering over her by at least a head or more.

"Good news, indeed!" she called back with a wave. "Please, don't rush on my account."

And they didn't; it took nearly half an hour for the captain and his first mate to struggle the large crate down the gangplank and onto the docks. They loaded the crate onto a nearby wagon, managing not to drop it or crush any of their fingers as they did so.

As Elsa hoisted herself up and into the wagon, accepting their offer to ease her poor feet on their way to the castle, she again spied Al in his little boat. The fisherman had apparently been watching them this whole time, and gave her a hearty wave of farewell, his broad grin easily discernible even from this distance. Of course, Elsa waved back; it was only polite.

She tried to ignore the way her cheeks burned. The way her pulse quickened, and her palms tingled the barest amount.

The captain chuckled beside her. "If I didn't know better, Your Highness, I'd say you're taken with that young waif over there."

"Today is the first time I ever laid eyes on that fisherman. How could I possibly fancy him?" Elsa retorted, crossing her arms as they made their way through the town. She saw the children still waiting for her, and gave them a wave. Though she didn't have any treats to give them, the captain didn't mind when she asked if they could join them on the wagon until the bridge. After all, few of the children-if any-had ever had the pleasure of doing so.

Once the children left, and they made it across the stone bridge and onwards to the castle, King Agdar stood waiting for them in the royal entrance chamber, flanked by a guard and a valet. His stern expression morphed into one of subtle joy upon catching sight of the crate, and for the first time since he had sent her on this errand, Elsa wondered what was inside.

"Ohhhh, I've been waiting so long for this," he breathed, rubbing his regal hands together in anticipation as it was lowered to the ground in front of him. "Elsa, come and see!"

Approaching the crate, she waited for the first mate to use the prybar he had brought along to pop open the top before leaning over to see—"It's jam!"

"Indeed it is," King Agdar said with a light chuckle as they both appraised the many jars containing the delicious treat, "I heard Corona made wonderful jam, so I absolutely had to procure some for us."

"There are so many varieties; elderberry, plum… blackberry! Ohh, I can't wait for dessert!"

"Thank you for your services," her father said as Elsa marveled over the various jams, turning his attention to the captain and his first mate. "Your payment, of course, has already been arranged. I imagine it mustn't have been easy transporting them from your ship."

Chuckling, the captain slung an arm around the first mate's shoulders and shook him lightly, causing the younger man to laugh as well. "Eh, it wasn't too bad… Halvard here's the strongest man I know!"

"Ahh, skipper, you're too kind," the man said through his teeth, clearly embarrassed by the praise. His cheeks reddened a little as he averted his gaze.

And Agdar narrowed his eyes at the display between the two burly seafarers. They didn't seem to notice and continued with their light banter. When they largely ignored him, he leaned over to his daughter and nudged her with his elbow.

"Look at them...they're deviants," he hissed more than whispered, keeping his gaze on the two men. "You must never become like them, Elsa. It's against the natural order of things."

But Elsa wasn't quite as ruffled by them as he was. "I don't think it's likely I'll become a burly sailor-man, Father."

"No, not that," Agdar said with a tight smile. "They're far too close than two men should be. And according to God, two men are not allowed to be together—it is a sin, a stain on their soul that can only lead them to the fires of perdition."

"You have told me, many times," Elsa sighed wearily, having heard the speech often enough she could almost set it to music. It was but one lesson among her many others...however, her father was always intent on them—almost terrifyingly so.

"Very good, then," the captain finally said, having broken away from his first mate to bow to the king. "We had best be off. Enjoy your jam, Sire."

"Indeed we will," King Agdar said with less enthusiasm than before, folding his hands behind his back. "That will be all; you may go about your business."

The two men respectfully bowed again and cheerfully climbed back into the wagon to leave, oblivious to the smoldering glare Agdar gave them as they departed, sitting so close one could not fit a parchment between them. Elsa did find herself mildly unnerved by the sight, but overall, she could not see why it bothered her father to the degree it did—their sinful deeds held no sway over his kingly life.

"Come along, Elsa," Agdar said coldly, though the chill in his voice wasn't directed towards her...or at least, she hoped it wasn't. "I believe you still have a few lessons left to work through."

A morning two days following the arrival of their jam, Elsa again found herself with little to do. After that encounter with the two men, her father had resumed her lessons at a harder pace, and not wanting to disappoint, Elsa had worked hard to keep up...until she found herself finishing far earlier than expected. Being that he was deeply involved with matters of state, she found herself leaving the castle yet again; there simply wasn't anything left to hold her interest there.

Which apparently meant heading for the docks. The children weren't out in force as they had been the last time, but she spotted one or two who waved to her as she wound through the village. "Al told us to tell you 'hi'!" Nils called out, cupping his hands around his mouth so she could hear him.

"Well, thank you for the message!" Elsa called back, trying not to laugh at him as she did so. If anything, her face merely reddened at the thought of Al speaking to the children about her. Had she left that strong of an impression upon him?

"Ah… couldn't get enough of me, could you?" a familiar voice asked once she reached the docks.

That was nearly enough to send the princess heading straight back to her castle…except it was also the very thing keeping her there.

"No," Elsa said as she wrapped her arms around her middle, turning her head away, "I'm merely out for some fresh air with the free time I have."

"That's Arendelle; freshest air in Europe!" he chuckled, voice light and free… everything her father's wasn't. Returning her attention to him, Elsa found herself on the receiving end of a cheeky grin. "Don't suppose you wanna help me fish, do you?"

Elsa wrinkled her nose as she said, "I doubt returning to the castle smelling of fish would be a good idea."

Almost as if it had been exactly what Elsa asked him to do, Al took a long, healthy whiff of his own clothes, inhaling as if it were the last breath he'd ever have. Releasing his tunic, the fisherman pouted at her and grumbled, "I smell just fine, thank you."

"No, you smell like fish." But she was grinning, which somewhat took away from her accusation.

"And you smell like flowers," Al huffed. At that, Elsa could only blush at the little grin stretching across his cheeks. "Or at least, I imagine you do; can't say I've had the pleasure yet."

"A-And you won't get it," Elsa stammered out, her blush growing in strength at what the fisherman probably had in mind. Al stretched his arms out, and corrected his position of his hat.

"Then do I, at least, get a hug?"

"Do you get—well!" Elsa burst out, cheeks at their all-time reddest as he guffawed and slapped his knee.

"You really thought I wanted a hug!" Al wheezed in-between his laughter.

Elsa had never seen such obnoxious behavior before—at least, not well beyond from her time in the castle, anyway. Was he purposefully trying to run her off… or was this what passed for courtship rituals among the lower classes?

Courtship...why am I even thinking about that?!

With a huff, Elsa was almost ready to leave without a word while the boy just laughed by himself. But something about his carefree attitude kept her from wanting to go just yet. It was...oddly enticing, how freely he expressed himself and just...well…

"Well, maybe I would give you one if you weren't covered in fish entrails!" she called back—instantly mortified that she had made such an offer.

Al merely laughed even more, pretending to wipe a tear from his eye. "Bet you'll take that back if the time ever comes for me to collect!" His laughter finally died down, but the broad grin on his face remained.

"Really? Well then, you underestimate the Court of Arendelle, you, you… cretin!" This time, Elsa slapped her hands over her mouth, unable to believe the words she had just spoken. Even if he was teasing her, that was language most unbecoming a lady.

"...There we go," Al said softly, placing his hands on his hips. "You're finally letting loose! Or at least...you're getting there." Then he cocked his head to one side and asked, "Why do you keep coming down here to whistle at me, anyway?"

"I'm not whistling at you!" Elsa nearly squeaked.

"True, but you are talking to me instead of doing… princess-y stuff." The grin faltered ever so slightly, something flashing in his eyes as he asked, "Why?"

"Because I… am a princess? And I am supposed to act like a princess."

"But princesses don't usually walk around on the docks, talking to anybody with a fishing pole," he observed casually.

She crossed her arms and held her chin up high. "Well, perhaps, you're the one who just likes talking to anybody, and I'm only here to get some fresh air."

"Sounds like someone needs a friend," came Al's barely audible mutter, but Elsa heard it all the same.

"I do not!" she blustered, stamping her elegant shoe amidst his further chuckles. I just have nothing to do...that's all...it's not like I'm lonely or anything…

But Al was ambling a little closer, still not close enough that she was going to be able to touch—or smell—him, but definitely reduced how much shouting they had to do at each other to be heard.

"You know...if you want to be friends, you can just say so," he said, smiling warmly. "I honestly wouldn't mind."

Elsa's eyes took him in, from the unruly fringe of red to his grimy bare feet, and every stitch of hand-me-down clothing in between. A fisherman, a peasant; someone a princess couldn't truly be friends with, yet…

"Tell you what," he continued when she didn't answer. "Show up here again tomorrow, same time." His voice grew softer, a hint of something she couldn't quite place leaking into it as he continued, "I'll know your answer by then."

"Why, what will be different tomorrow?" she asked dubiously.

Al put a finger against his own lips. "Shh, it's a secret." He chuckled a little. "But judging from that question alone...I guess you're at least willing to consider friendship."

Rolling her eyes, Elsa turned away slightly with her arms folded across her chest. "Perhaps. I suppose we'll see tomorrow, won't we?"

Al took a bow jokingly. "Oh, yes, Your Highness. I'll be waiting for you here, as always." He smirked at her, and she tried not to notice the way her heart quickened.

Walking back to the castle wasn't much like a walk through the royal gardens… it seemed more like a task, with Al in her mind. A small part of her almost didn't want to go ba—No, no...don't you dare go down that path! she thought to herself, shaking her head to clear her mind of such...irresponsible notions.

Her father wouldn't agree to this kind of… interaction—she couldn't even call it a friendly one. The guilt that burdened her on her way back home was a bit heavy, knowing that she would have to lie to her father about how her day went. Or at the very least, finally exercise her diplomacy skills and only give half-truths…

God, what a rebellious princess Elsa had become right after meeting Al.

"Where are you going?" her father asked the next day, and Elsa stopped in her tracks.

Elsa already had a plan just for this. "I was planning on getting some fresh air near the docks, Father." So often had she practiced that she even managed to say it without her voice quavering, or anything else that might make her seem as if she weren't telling him the entirety of the truth. "The sea breeze...it feels nice."

"Hm. Very well, then. But I must have you back by suppertime, understood?" He fixed her with a stern glare, and she nodded. "Good. Now run along, my dear; enjoy your breeze."

Elsa kept her steps leisurely as she left the castle to enter the town, but hurried her pace the moment she was out of her father's—or the patrolling guards'—sight. Her cheeks went pink at the thought of what was causing her to move so urgently, but she pushed that away and let herself enjoy the air outside of the castle—it was the reason she had come out, after all.

And why on earth was she so excited to see someone whom she hadn't even known existed a week prior?

Because you could have a friend. Someone who sees you as something other than a princess or a dutiful daughter.

Elsa nearly tripped on her way; too shaken by the sudden thought flitting about in her head. Someone who might like you.

"Princess Elsa, what's the rush for?" she heard some of the children ask as she continued towards the docks, but she regretfully gave them a hasty response of "official business"—after all, they could be very nosey when they wanted to be. And she wasn't very good at hiding how flustered she was; kind children or no, they would still tease her a little about it.

Although, their teasing probably wouldn't be as bad as—

"Your Highness!"

Speaking of the devil… Al's voice drifted to her ears, light and amused, as always. "Your fishermanship," she greeted back, softly mocking. Her eyes widened a little as she took sight of his clean tunic and hose, non-grimy face, and…

Did he...bathe? Al cocked his head to one side, immediately knowing what was on Elsa's mind. "Wouldn't it be rude of me if I didn't bathe, when I asked you to see me today?" He smirked as he added, "I have some decorum, I'll have you know."

Elsa cleared her throat, making sure her regal posture could hide her blush of shame. "I… I wasn't thinking anything of that sort." And I probably shouldn't.

"It's fine, it's fine… You may find this hard to believe, but even I can't stand the smell of fish sometimes," Al laughed, waving away her poorly-concealed surprise. "Besides… I'll drive you away with that smell, anyway."

"How thoughtful of you," Elsa dryly remarked. "Though I must admit, it's nice to get a look at you without a thick layer of muck."

His freckled cheeks reddened a little, and Elsa fought back a satisfied smile at having elicited such a reaction from him. However, all he said in reply was, "Did my best, Miss Princess. Anyway… I'm glad you approve, since this was the whole point of my asking you here."

"If I...needed a friend, yes?" Elsa asked, her voice almost a mumble as her previous satisfaction ebbed into embarrassment at speaking such words aloud.

That prompted Al to walk a little closer to her, blinking curiously as if he had been the last one to speak and he was still awaiting her answer. He angled his head, a shy smile curving onto his lips as he asked, "Well?"

"Well what?" she breathed, trying to edge away from him and finding she wasn't moving at all. Come on, feet...move!

"Are we friends yet, Elsa?"

It was a simple question, uttered in that overly-casual tone...but it carried with it a certain weight Elsa wasn't sure she wanted to answer yet. Therefore, she gave him a dismissive "we'll see" as she finally forced herself to turn away.

"If you say so," she heard Al say, voice smug as if he already had his answer. Then he offered his elbow and said, "Shall I escort you, madam?"

"I believe the proper term is 'Your Highness'," Elsa mumbled half-heartedly, eyeing his elbow with trepidation. "And if I were a wiser Highness, I might question your motives." She reached a hand out, only to stop mid-way as she asked, "Wait...where are we going, anyway?"

"No idea," he laughed, "but we're going there together. Isn't that the important part?"

"It's a matter of...security," she replied, withdrawing her hand to wrap her arms around her middle. "You could be 'escorting' me right into a trap, and my father would have your head for it."

"Since I'm quite fond of my head, I can promise you I'm not trying to kidnap you, or anything of that sort," Al laughed again, though his voice held a tint of unease at the threat in her words.

"Well…" Maybe she had already been cruel enough to the boy; after all, she did enjoy his company, otherwise she would not have bothered to entertain so much of it thus far. And, if she were being completely honest with herself… she found herself being charmed yet further than she already was.

"Fine," Elsa said at last, but made no move to place her hand in his, "I'll go with you to...wherever it is we're going."

That seemed to make Al's freckled cheeks light up with glee, and he gasped, "You will?!"

Elsa sighed heavily as she mumbled, "Let's just go before I change my mind." And with no more than that, she grabbed his arm and began to drag him along the docks.

It took all of five minutes before Elsa realized she had yet to pick a destination for them. There were many interesting signs in the village they could explore, but where was the best place to drag a fisherman who seemed to think of a princess as such a silly person that he laughed at her at every opportunity?

"Yoohoo!" a voice cheerfully called, and Elsa turned her head to see a large man standing near a cart full of various goods, trying to gain the attention of potential buyers. "Would the lady and the gentleman care for some lutefisk?"

Elsa immediately turned away at the idea of the smelly dish, but a hand tugged at hers, stopping them both. "How much?" Al asked. "Where do you buy from?"

"Really?" the princess hissed under her breath, but Al ignored her.

The man's bushy eyebrows arched upward. "Why, from all of the fishermen, of course—it's only fair, ja?" He chuckled as he added, "Actually...I think I recognize you from the docks when I made my rounds. An...hmm...it started with an 'a', I remember…"

"Al," he replied smoothly with a sweeping bow. "And this here's the lovely and royal Elsa."

"Oh, the princess!" the man exclaimed, eyes widening in recognition and lifting a hand in a small wave as he grinned. "Hallo!"

What else could she do but curtsy to the man? It was not becoming for her to do anything else, no matter who he was or what his standing.

Until Al gave her a push. That easily, Elsa wound up in a heap on the ground next to the merchant, spluttering and shocked beyond belief. She stared at the fisherman, jaw open in utter betrayal.

"Oh my— I can't believe you went down like that!" Al gasped, blinking in complete surprise. "I only— it was a tiny nudge, and you…" Face reddening a little, he rushed forward to help her up, offering a hand as he continued, "You were just acting so stiff, so I thought—"

"Keep your hands off me!" she burst out, clutching them to her chest as she stared between Al and the merchant, who was holding a hand to his mouth in mild concern.

"Went a little overboard there, ja?" the latter said to the former, and the heat on Al's face merely grew.

"Seriously," Al bade her as he squatted down, still offering the hand and pleading with her, "I didn't mean for you to go down like a load of bricks!"

"L-Like a load of—" Elsa spluttered, slapping his hand away, "It's not enough for you to...to...embarrass me in this way, but to imply that my weight is—"

All the poor boy could do was groan in frustration, clutching at the hat on his head. "Damn it all, everything's going sideways! I was only trying to get you to stop being a princess for a change, and now that plan's backfired horribly and you'll probably have my head anyway for this because of course you're the princess, heir to the throne, and I've basically attacked a royal and—"

"Wait, wait," Elsa sighed, rolling her eyes as she attempted to stand. "Let's just… forget this ever happened."

"I agree," the merchant spoke up, nodding to himself, only to grow sheepish when they both glared at him. "Oopsie… perhaps I will go back to my cart…" He managed a smile as he held out a jar of lutefisk, continuing, "But before I go, I will offer a quart of lutefisk so we have good feelings, ja?"

The princess looked him dead in the eye and said, "No, but thank you for the offer. But no."

Al looked like he was going to protest declining free food, but Elsa immediately glared at him. "Well… yes, I suppose not. Thanks, though."

"Will you at least accept some advice?" the merchant asked, though he seemed to be addressing Al more than her. "Perhaps from now on, when you are escorting such a lady as Her Highness… you do not try to turn her into a gentleman?"

Al frowned as he retorted, "But I'm not trying to turn her into a...a gentleman. I just want her to have some fun."

"You dunce," Elsa snapped irritably as she finally made it off the ground, "I don't find being shoved down 'fun'! And frankly, you're never...escorting me again!"

"Never…" The boy looked completely stricken, and moved to head her off as she began to walk away. "H-Hold on, Elsa! At least let me make it up to you!" A few more steps along, he told her in a hushed voice, "You can turn me into your personal slave for a day, or slap me, or—oh, I don't know, I can't think! But don't go away mad like this!"

Jabbing a finger at him, Elsa hissed, "Just watch me."

And then the oddest thing of all happened: this time, when Al darted in front of her with both hands out at chest level, it was clear that tears were forming in his blue-green eyes. He was about to start crying over what was, in the long run, such a minor thing.

"Please don't go," he begged, bottom lip trembling. "I'm sorry. I...I made a mistake; I got too eager, and I shouldn't have gone that far, but please...just give me another chance? I promise I won't push you or touch you without your permission, and...and…"

The display dumbfounded Elsa, and she wasn't sure whether to snap at him for what he'd done, or turn away so that she didn't feed into his embarrassment by watching him plead with her. She chose the latter, rubbing at the bridge of her nose as she sighed heavily. "Al, please stop making a scene…"

"...Yes, Your Highness," the boy said in a small voice, hunching his shoulders to his ears. "Sorry, I'm really just… ruining everything today, it seems."

Elsa fought down the urge to utter an affirmative to that—it wouldn't help matters between them at all. Instead, she glanced at the very real tears running down his cheeks, at his rigid posture of dejection, and she knew that he was earnest in his remorse.

"Fine," she said at last, ignoring the way he perked his head up like a pup, "let's just...let's just continue on our way, shall we?"

"Are you sure you want to, after all that?" Al whispered, hesitantly hopeful.

Elsa grabbed his hand, tugging him along after her. "I suppose it's my duty to give you the opportunity to make up for completely humiliating a member of the royal family. Once, at least."

"And just once is all I need!" Grasping her hand with both of his own, Al drew closer to her and whispered, "I swear it by… by all my pitiful fishing profits!"

She couldn't help it—she snorted a laugh at the absurd words falling from his lips. He smiled slightly in response, but seemed to still be far too chagrined from his earlier mistake to let himself really laugh along with her.

"Phew," Al sighed, seemingly glad that he hadn't pushed the princess away any further than he had. "I'm sure you have a time you'll have to return by, so… I think we should go around town. I'm sure you haven't seen all of what's been going on while you're stuck in that castle over there."

"Wasn't that the plan in the first place?" Elsa asked, arching a brow, and the fisherman's cheeks reddened.

"Heh…" Al scratched his head. "Well, I was hoping we could… you know, get a drink together. I'm not sure if your father would let you."

"Oh, I'm certain he would be furious if he knew I was even speaking at length with a peasant boy, much less planning to go anywhere together!" she said with a dark little chuckle. It was...almost exciting, in a way.

"Well, then I guess next time I should dress more formally and… not act like a peasant boy?"

Against her will, she grinned. "It would be a start."

Despite the rough start, the rest of their day passed by in a surprisingly pleasant manner.

"What are you doing? You've been sniffing yourself this whole time." Elsa quirked an eyebrow, further questioning Al's strange behavior today.

"Just making sure," Al muttered under his breath. "Anyway, what will you have?"

They were currently at one of the town's taverns, trying to procure food for their midday meal. Elsa really didn't have any idea what the peasants would eat. "Well… what would Sir recommend?" she finally whispered, hoping it didn't make her sound too inept.

"Hmm… Well, the potatoes don't have as much mold on them as the others," Al said, tapping his chin thoughtfully, "or at least...usually they don't."

Elsa looked at him in disgust. "M-Mold…?"

"I jest," he laughed. "Though in all seriousness, you absolutely do not want their mutton. Just… trust me."

"Fine...I'll trust you," Elsa said with a roll of her eyes.

"Seriously, I'm going to bet this type of food is going to taste so much better than what your cook makes every day," Al said. "Just you wait."

"Indeed, I will," the princess dryly retorted as the serving wench returned with their food.

With the food on the table, Elsa couldn't help but stare at the potato—somewhat burnt—and somehow, there were little pieces of what seemed like stuffing inside. God knew what those were... Her fork moved in to scoop some up several times before it drew back again, too fearful of what she might unearth by moving the food around.

Al had no such reservations, and simply stuffed the potatoes—stuffing and all—in his mouth. "Come on! Try it!" He chewed a little more, trying to lessen the puffiness to his cheeks as he continued, "They're just onions, if that's what you're worried about."

Elsa gulped, holding her fork in the air in hesitation. "Onions that haven't been washed…" she whispered to herself. Of course, there was no telling if they hadn't...but at the same time, there was no telling if they had, either… but there seemed to be little else she could do. Bracing herself for the worst, she guided the scoop of food into her mouth.

"Well?" Al asked, a hint of anxiousness seeping into his voice. "Do you like it?"

She chewed slowly. And chewed some more. "It's…" Gulping, she shrugged and said, "It's not as awful as I expected."

It was still awful, of course, but there was no need to tell Al that. At least it did taste like actual sustenance; that counted for quite a lot, considering she was expecting it to be more like the time she had accidentally taken lye into her mouth during a bath.

The thought must've translated onto her facial expressions, for she saw Al frown worriedly at her. "Oh… well, you said you wanted some of the local flavour…" Shrugging, he gestured toward the ale sat before her and said, "Maybe that will be better than the food, right?"

"I've...never had ale before," Elsa confessed, hesitantly reaching for her tankard. "What should I expect, compared to wine?"

"Oh, well...I suppose it sort of tastes like...bread? Really strange bread," Al answered, averting his eyes to his own tankard. "And it's sweet, but… bitter. Sorry if that doesn't make a shred of sense to you."

"Well, the only way to find out would be to drink it…" Elsa mumbled, raising the drink to her lips. Instantly, she noted that it made her tongue tingle, and in a way far removed from how wine did; what an odd mixture of oakiness and sweetness, and it seemed to taste as dirty as it was clean.

This was… This was definitely better than the potatoes.

"Ahhhh," Al said with a knowing smirk, arms folded over his chest. "You liked that, I think." Elsa didn't even bother to answer; merely drinking more of her ale. "Nevermind; I know you did now."

"So what if I did?" Elsa retorted, pouting over her tankard. But the boy merely shrugged, picking up his own and draining a few mouthfuls all at once. Huffing to herself, Elsa tilted her head back to down even more of the drink.

"I'm just glad there's something about this day you don't hate," he finally said. The warm smile he gave her sent tingles along her spine...or maybe that was just the ale's effects.

"Listen, you," she began, pointing at him with the tankard itself. "It's not that I hate you, it's just...well…" Elsa trailed off, setting her drink down with a contemplative frown. "Even before the… incident, with that lutefisk-seller, I haven't been sure what to think about you. Nobody's ever treated me like…"

"Like...an old friend?" Al ventured to ask, and Elsa managed a faint smile at that. "Good, that's… when I first saw you on the docks, I sensed you'd be someone I'd be glad of knowing better." He ducked his head a little, the brim of his hat hiding his eyes as he continued, "And so far...you're a lot better than I imagined you to be."

Elsa had been listening patiently, right up to the final comment made; then she pursed her lips slightly. "And what did you imagine?"

"Huh? Oh, I don't know; I thought you'd be so stiff and regal, and command me to be your ottoman or something." Al chuckled, tipping his hat up so their eyes met once more, continuing warmly, "I'm so glad I was wrong."

The princess' face scrunched up even further, but then she sighed and took a long drink as she contemplated. Or rather, she tried to take a long drink. Instead, she ended up lowering the ale and saying, "Very well. I suppose I shouldn't hold it against you for thinking I'd be… well, like most princesses. I'd probably do the same thing if I were in your place."

"Thank you," he sighed heavily, slumping slightly in relief.

"But you're...right, though—about friends, and all," Elsa mumbled. "I haven't any; not true friends. Gerda is the closest thing I have to one, but she's… when someone is your servant, there's only so far your friendship can go."

"Technically speaking, I'm your servant as well," Al remarked with a wry smile. "You know, I did promise."

"Must we really?" Elsa asked, unable to help the laugh that escaped. "I wouldn't even know what to do with you aside from commanding you to go away, or something like that."

Laughing merrily, Al drained the rest of his tankard and wiped his mouth with the back of his sleeve. "Well, I hope you can think of a better use for a servant than that!"

"Perhaps I should order you to bathe everyday," Elsa replied, smiling. When Al frowned, she reached across the table and swatted him lightly on the arm. "Now it is I who jests!"

"Perhaps I should teach you a thing or two about jesting," he said, grinning cheekily as he leaned forward, elbows on the table. Elsa seemed to frown for a moment, but his smile was too infectious, and soon they were both laughing together.

But of course, their day together had to come to an end at some point. Elsa stood on the pier with Al, shaking his hand for what was probably the eighth time, and promising they would do this again soon.

"I'll hold you to that, Your Highness," Al said as he gave an exaggerated bow her way, much like on the day they had first met.

"You must stop doing that," she murmured out of the corner of her mouth, but as flattered as she was embarrassed.

"Fine, fine...if the princess commands!" Al said, dramatically flourishing a hand, and Elsa had to bite back a giggle at that. "Alright, I'll stop now, I promise. Sorry."

"Will you really?" she asked, even though they both knew he wouldn't. When he stuck his tongue out at her, she rolled her eyes. "Didn't think you would."

"Would you have me any other way?" Al laughed before waving her off, almost in a shooing gesture. "Now go before the king thinks I've kidnapped you or something. The last thing I need is to be beheaded for not fouling up your day."

"I'll be sure to speak with my father if you do end up facing those charges," Elsa bantered back, hiding a smile behind her hand as she began heading on her way. "Perhaps I'll be able to get away again soon. If I do… I hope your dance card hasn't filled by then."

"For you, Elsa...my dance card will always have a spot open," Al said with a wink, and after one last wave of farewell, Elsa forced herself to turn around and head home.

"You're quite late," Agdar said once she had joined him in the dining room later for their evening meal. "I expected you to turn up for afternoon tea."

"I met some of the children in town, and you know I can't refuse them," Elsa replied, surprised at how easily the lie had slipped from her lips. As she spread the embroidered napkin in her lap, she asked, "How has your day been, Father?"

"Largely uneventful, though you'll find a sizable dent in our jam supply," Agdar answered with a slight smile before a shadow crossed his face. "Hopefully we can find another way to procure more in the future…"

Elsa almost asked why before she caught herself, merely nodding along in agreement. "How was the jam, though? Have you tried any of the other flavours?"

"I can't say I'm too fond of blackberries," her father chuckled, "But you absolutely must try the plum one."

"And I shall, after our meal," she promised gently, smiling indulgently over at him. Even though she couldn't quite get so worked up over jam as he, she did love him, from the bottom of her heart; she only wished he would treat her like less of a child, now that she no longer was one.

Oh, if only her mother was here… Things would've been a lot easier. How her mother always managed to say the right thing, to treat everyone as an equal—servants included. She was always kind—someone Elsa have always looked up to… until she died during that storm.

"Elsa?" By the sound of it, her father had been trying to get her attention for a long while. "What's the matter?"

"Just...wondering if mother would have liked it, is all," she answered softly.

He set down the glass he had just been raising to his lips, frowning at her in some concern. "Would you...like a moment alone?" he asked in a voice just as soft.

"No, no," she assured him with a smile—albeit a very political, "public" smile. "I'm well, thank you."

"Well, if you're certain…" His words were left hanging, for her to complete as she wished in her mind. Elsa merely nodded at him and returned her attention to her meal.

Thank you for contributing: The-Wandering-Quill, forkanna, iamrotting, CanITellUSmThin, Christian nickles 3, Peanut-Butter-Bandit/idunscrewedup, nopantsparade/Issandri, metaphoricalbutton